Daughter of Silk (2006)

Daughter of Silk is not a book I was pulled into right away, in fact I struggled with it at first, but the more I read the more I got into the book. The biggest issue I had with it personally was the amount of French integrated into it. I am one who feels if you’re writing a book in English have it be in English if you’re writing it in French have it be in French. Aside from that the book while slow to start is very good.
It is a Christian Fiction and not for everyone, but if you know the history of what happened in France while the Queen Regent “Madame le Serpente” ruled you know why it would be. This is a time of great religious persecution and peril. Protestants being slaughtered by the thousands just because of their beliefs because they were not catholic. This book brings that to light and entwines characters of evil and good, and those who are finding love in different places. Over all it is a good book that shows the ways of a dangerous court in a dangerous time very well.
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After reading "Beyond Heaving Bosoms. The Smart Bitches guide to romance novels", I have a newfound respect for "trashy romance novels". I had a great time identifying the gender cliches, and figuring out how the author would pull them together in a more or less natural way. I was unabashedly delighted at the way in which Chaikin was able to bend language, and sometimes, also the protagonists' spines for the perfect romantic scene. I liked the insertion of French phrases for ambiance, though a couple of times I was thrown out of the story upon detecting a mistake on the French phrasing (maybe I'm too much of a language snob?).
In general the story flows pretty well, but I found difficult to root for the main characters, as they were somewhat bland. ( )

Linda Lee Chaikin is awesome! She writes with vivid detail and complexity. This story immediately drew me in, especially when I got to visit Catherine De Medici again! Reading C.W. Gortner's Confessions of Catherine De Medici, I became a HUGE fan of her and while this book is about Rachelle, it still visits with the Queen Mother Catherine De Medici and her courts. That was a bonus for me!

Rachelle's character was vibrantly created. She falls in love with a forbidden man-someone far, far above her in society. When Rachelle learns of Catherine De Medici's conspiracy against the Huguenots, the suspenseful twists to the plot begin, for Rachelle, in the court as a seamstress to De Medici's daughter, is a Protestant in secret. The man that Rachelle fell in love with, that far above her man, falls in love with her, too, and together they try to stop the plotting of a conspiracy. It all came down to an amazingly written, well researched, and beautifully blended historical, romantic suspenseful novel!

Linda Lee Chaikin is a new-to-me author, though with books like this one, she has earned a top spot on my list! This 5 star novel is filled with love, mystery, pain and lots of French history. I highly recommend this to ALL book lovers! ( )

Rachelle Dushane-Maquinet, a young woman from a silk merchant family, becomes involved in the court of Catherine de Medici with the tortures of the Bastille and the fiery stake a common occurence. She finds herself in danger and warns the handsome Marquis Fabien de Vendome of the wicked plot against his kin and the Huguenots.

Rachelle Dushane-Macquinet, a young woman from a prosperous and well-known family of silk producers and dressmakers, has come to court with her grandmother and older sister to help make gowns for the Princess Marguerite Valois, daughter of Queen Mother Catherine de Medici. But Rachelle and her family have a dangerous secret. They are Huguenots at a time when the Catholic church in France is relentlessly persecuting "heretics," which to them includes anyone of the Protestant faith.

At court, Rachelle meets the handsome young Marquis Fabien de Vendome and is instantly attracted to him, but he is far above her in social class. Fabien is a Catholic, but he comes from a large noble family with many Huguenot members. When he and Rachelle learn of a conspiracy against the Huguenots, between the evil Catherine de Medici and her allies, the de Guise family, they are determined to do something to stop it. As they work together, they grow closer and begin to fall in love, but can they survive the many dangers of going against the most powerful people in France?

This book was an excellent combination of history, romance, action, and political intrigue. The author brought to life the people -- both real and fictional characters -- as well as the customs and intrigues of the 16th century French court. My only complaint is that the next book in the series won't be out until Spring 2007, so I will have to wait that long to find out what happens next. I'd highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction and historical romance set in this time period. ( )